Sunday, January 10, 2010

The Problems with Pronouns

Really, I can't find the answer for this question anywhere: is it, accepted to Journal X? accepted in Journal X? accepted for Journal X? accepted for publication in Journal X? Forthcoming with Journal X?

I tried getting around the whole problem by listing it as "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Bill Graham Presents" and also as "Live Live! Nude Nudes!"*, while having it flash seven different neon colors, but it doesn't seem to fit in with the overall tenor of my CV.

So, how do you list an acceptance on your vita?

* And no, I don't have the money to take out a billboard with the announcement. But I totally would. I'm thinkin' that 2010 will finally be my year --- maybe because it's the year of the tiger. Forget little black cats, this year is all about Tigeral Studies.

And: I think "forthcoming" is supposed to be reserved for articles that have been scheduled -- when you know the month or quarter it will appear. Otherwise, "Accepted by X journal," or "Accepted for publication in X Journal."

I do what Annie does. The instant it's accepted, I update the vita* to say "Forthcoming" after an MLA citation.

*Isn't it formally curriculum vitae, with the "ae" the Latin ending for "of" so curriculum of life/work? And abbreviated as CV. So why do we all abbreviate "vita" when just using that part. Why not "vitae"? Or is that because we're using it as a different part of speech. Or are we? Arrrrgh! Latin feels like math to me...

2. I strongly encourage you to revamp your CV so that the overarching tenor really is "LIVE NUDES!!!" in flashing neon colors. That falsely modest Times New Roman is so overdone.

3. I love, love, love your post on the Lady and the Tiger, for many reasons. I know exactly what you mean, most of all about the lack of clarity (or even advice!) from advisors. I adore the disciplinary signifiers. I also recall reading that actual short story with some sentiment when I was a little boy. Finally, I can't stop smiling in empathetic recognition of the sense that one must be a fierce, deadly tiger that will gladly wear a gown and little pointy hat, if that's what it takes.

And since forthcoming means, de facto, that it has been accepted, I think that's why most people default to that. But if it hasn't been scheduled for a specific issue, then you could write "accepted for publication," I suppose.

Hey, if you haven't yet written a thank-you to the committee chair from your campus visit, you could slip in a sly reference to this newly accepted publication, perhaps. Perhaps like this: Para. 1: Thank your for the opportunity to visit....blah blah blah. Para. 2: I also wanted to share with you my most recent good news: "Brilliant Article" has been accepted for publication in _Awesome Journal_, with a date to be announce, likely late in 2010.

Popping back in to say: Ink, yes, it is curriculum vitae, "course of life", but it is normally abbreviated vita, meaning "life" in the nominative. If you called it "vitae" for short, that would be like calling it your "of life", which would be weirder. The grammatically correct alternative would be to call it "curriculum" for short, but that presents other problems. In sum, knowing that the full form has the genitive of vita but the short form uses the nominative is a sure sign that you made good use of your liberal education. (Sis, it is appalling of me to be grammar noodge on a thread that should be congratulatory. Congratulations!)